Yay for chapter two! Thanks to BleachLovergirl this came out sooner than it could have. ^^;

Enjoy this! And please do consider telling me your thoughts, even if it's brief, anything makes me want to write more. ^-^ Thanks!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Bleach or anything about it...those bastards...

Chapter Two: Disappearance

I found myself sprawled across my bed, waking up to the smell of buttered pancakes. I didn't have any of the blankets over me, so I figured I'd dozed off the other day after Rukia left the room. Kon was asleep, using my stomach as his bed. With a flick of my wrist, I sent the plushie flying off of me and straight into my closet. The thud startled him awake, and I was rewarded with a mouthful of irritating rambles. Ignoring him, I gradually sat up, stretched, and somehow found the motivation to start the day.

I made my way out the door, rubbing my tired eyes as I went. When I entered the kitchen, I was greeted by my sisters, and a maple-syrup coated plate. Today was Pancake Day. Yuzu decided that every Thursday we'd have pancakes for breakfast. I guess she got bored of thinking up the food schedules.

"Are those enough for you, Ichigo?" Yuzu watched me sit down at the table before my eyes met hers.

"Yeah, thanks."

I could hear something in the living room shifting. It sounded large and clumsy. I immediately knew what it was, and with a sigh, I stood up, spun around, and lifted my leg. I felt my Dad crash against my foot, and his grumbles came right along with it.

"Dad, why do ya gotta be so annoying?"

He didn't answer, but then again, I guess I didn't care if he did. I sat back down and scooted closer to the table before starting on my pile of pancakes. Karin began telling us about her soccer game the other day, and how Toshiro ended up as her kick's accidental target. Ever since the two were acquainted, Karin's been telling me stories about him. I don't remember when exactly they became friends, but I guess she still thinks he's a grade school student. Well, I can't say I blame her.

As her story continued, something didn't feel right. I looked around the room. Dad was on the floor, moping. Yuzu was finishing the last of the pancakes. Karin was ranting about Toshiro. I glanced down at my plate. Pancakes were still there. Then my gaze lifted, and then it hit me. Rukia isn't here.

At first, it didn't bother me. She disappeared all the time like she thought it was going out of style. But when I got to school later that day, it made me wonder a little bit. She wasn't in first period, or second. In fact, she didn't show her face until the end of lunch. Well, at least she showed up, but still! She entered the room and casually threw on her goody-two-shoes act to her fellow classmates, and then she approached me.

"Rukia, where were you?" I looked down on her, enjoying the fact that I was much taller and larger than her.

"Hm? Why do you care?"

"Uh, because. You act all weird yesterday and then I don't see you this morning, it's a little concerning."

"It's nothing. I just had an errand to do, that's all." And with that, she ended the conversation by walking past me towards her seat.

"Well. Sorry for being concerned." I mumbled under my breath.

About ten minutes later, our science teacher slapped a ruler against the board to settle us down.

I settled into my seat, pulling out a piece of stray paper from my book bag. Throughout the period, I couldn't help but continue to wonder why Rukia just disappeared this morning. Sure, she had left several times before without much warning, (which resulted in many more battle scars on me…) but this time she actually came back without me having to search for her. Although, then again I hadn't really put much thought into looking for her, I felt it honestly wasn't really my business.

I glanced at the midget that wouldn't leave my thoughts. She really was weird. Paranoid about reading material, talking to herself after a daydream, and suddenly vanishing in the morning. I couldn't figure her out, no matter how many insinuations she gave me.

When her eyes met mine, I quickly found something else to look at. I could feel her gaze on me now, one that was asking, "Why are you spying on me, creeper?" I checked if she was still watching, and for some reason I was relieved to see her eyes engrossed with the book she held in her hands. I guess I wasn't a big fan of the little Shinigami being annoyed with me. It usually ended up with some sort of red imprint of her hand on my face.

I managed to avert my attention back to the front of the room. Keigo was being a dork trying to present his volcano project. The class was filled with giggles when his volcano failed to do what it was built to do.

"What? Why isn't this damn thing working?" He leaned closer to the mouth of the plastic replica, only to be met with some kind of red crap in his face. After some signs of irritation from the idiot, he left the room to wash his face, and the students clapped and laughed.

(After School)

"You!"

Ah shit.

"You were watching me today!" I felt a small finger poke my back, one that burned in a way.

"Yeah? So what?" I watched as the girl appeared at my side, her arms crossed.

"It's a little creepy! You don't just watch girls all day when they're trying to read!"

"Well, you're a little creepy yourself, just poofing away in the morning."

"Hey! I'm old enough to do what I please without your supervision, idiot!"

"Psh. Almost too old…"

That comment left me with that mark I mentioned earlier.

(Later that night)

I turned my bedroom light off, collapsing onto my bed with a sigh of relief. I didn't bother covering up until I had gotten a little chilly, but before that I just enjoyed the soft mattress's magic on my tired body. I took this time to think more on the Case of the Vanished Rukia. And I couldn't come up with a good answer, still. It was annoying, to say the least. That an ass-kicking soul reaper like myself can't figure out why Rukia would just leave in the morning without any sign of where she went or why.

And what irritated me even more, is that she did it again the next morning.

WhooHoo! I did it! Don't ask me how, but I did it! YES! *excited*

I guess my motivation came from my brother, (his username is gunsmith, look him up. ^^) BleachLovergirl, and my reviewers. Also, a shout out to luketaco2323 on YouTube for being the pin-point center of awesome. You go girl! *high fives*

I won't be doing a talk-talk Author's Note because it's now sleep time for me. ^^; School is tomorrow and I (sadly) gotta go for about four more years. xD

Oh and sorry it's so short. ._. I really didn't have much time but I wanted to finish this for you guys today.

Don't forget to push that button that's below this before you go! Thanks! :D